Oct. 12, 2005

Former Maryland outfielder Justin Maxwell signed with the Washington Nationals, the organization announced yesterday.

A fourth-round selection (114th overall) by his hometown team, Maxwell was one of Maryland's finest student-athletes on and off the diamond. Though injuries forced him to miss most of his last two seasons at Maryland, Maxwell shined whenever he was on the field, displaying a rare breed of power and speed. In seven games last year, he hit .455 with three home runs, five RBIs and five stolen bases. As a sophomore in 2003, his last full season as a Terp, he hit .317 with 10 home runs, 11 steals and 43 RBIs in 55 games. For his career, Maxwell hit .299 with 16 homers, 71 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. He was also well regarded for his defensive abilities in the outfield.

"This is a tremendous honor for Justin and a well deserved one," head coach Terry Rupp said. "We wish him the best and hope he gets to the big leagues in a timely manner and has a great career once he gets there."

Terms of the deal between Maxwell and the Nationals were not disclosed. The Olney, Md. native was Washington's second selection in June's Major League Draft. The Nationals' first pick, infielder Ryan Zimmerman, also played in the Atlantic Coast Conference for Virginia. Maxwell had been drafted twice previously, by Texas in 2004 (10th round) and Baltimore in 2001 (43rd).

A tremendous student and campus leader, Maxwell was named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar by Black Issues in Higher Education in 2003. He graduated with a degree in animal science and was set to start work towards a Master's degree in biological science.